Third period dooms Condors in loss at Stockton

STOCKTON, Calif. - The Bakersfield Condors (5-10-1-2, 13pts) held a 3-2 lead late in the second period, but surrendered four unanswered goals as the Stockton Thunder (11-3-1-0, 23pts) won for the seventh consecutive time on home ice, 6-3, on Friday night at Stockton Arena.

Bakersfield fell behind 1-0 at 5:04 of the first period when F Yannick Riendeau completed a two-on-one from in tight. The Condors would respond with F Alex Hudson blasting a hard shot from the right-wing circle through the five-hole of Stockton G Cody Reichard at the 11:22 mark to tie the game at 1-1. Just under two minutes later, the Thunder would pull back in front on the power play at 13:05 when F Harrison Reed one-timed a shot past Condors G Brian Stewart from the top of the left-wing circle. Bakersfield would once again equalize at 2-2 this time when C Peter Boyd won an attacking face off onto the stick of D Francis Meilleur, who rifled a shot through traffic into the back of the cage at 16:39. The score remained that way after 2- minutes as the Condors were outshot, 14-9.

The Condors used their lone power play of the first 40 minutes to their advantage, as D Olivier Dame-Malka swatted home a rebound at 3:20 of the second period to give Bakersfield their first lead of the night at 3-2. However, Stockton controlled the remainder of the frame and capped it off with two goals in the final 2:11 of the period to take a 4-3 lead with them into the intermission. D Nathan Deck (17:49) and F Eric Hunter (19:29) on the power play tallied for the Thunder. Stockton heavily controlled the shot advantage, 25-8.

The Thunder tacked on two more goals in the third period to put the game out of reach at 6-3. Things got chippy towards the end of the game with 36 combined penalty minutes handed out in the games final four minutes. Stockton outshot Bakesfield 50-25 through regulation.

The Condors played with seven defensemen and nine forwards tonight… D Francis Meilleur’s first period goal was his first tally of the season… F Alex Hudson now has goals in each of his last two games… The 25 shots allowed in the second period was a season-high for one period. G Brian Stewart’s 23 saves in the middle frame was a season-high for one period… The Condors released D Joe Rogalski on Wednesday… Shots on goal: BAK – 25, SF – 50… Power plays: BAK – 1/3, SF – 2/5… Three Stars: #1 Levesque(STK), #2 Riendeau (STK), #3 Reichard (STK).

TEDDY BEAR TOSS IS TOMORROW!!!The 14th annual Teddy Bear Toss Night, is TOMORROW at 7 p.m. Fans are being challenged to bring more than one teddy bear or stuffed animal to the game, and when the Condors score their first goal of the night, throw them onto the ice. The stuffed animals will be collected and distributed throughout the community by the United Way of Kern County. The night is sponsored by KBAK Eyewitness News, KERN 1180 and Wells Fargo.

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